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Tuesday, March 19, 2013

I would like you all to welcome my sister Melissa to the blog today. She is doing me a HUGE favor and picking up an ARC review, while we are still in the process of relocating. (I seriously forgot how much work moving is O,o ) This is her very first review so you all show her some love!!

Selena

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4 Stars

Everything happens for a reason.

A soldier returning for mid-tour leave decides to stay with a cousin in Maine, after his fiancé leaves him for someone else while he is away at war.

His cousin is going through his own devastation and is struggling to pick up the pieces and move on with his family.

As they try to help each other through the pain, Shane's path crosses Jenn's and he soon learns that everything happens for a reason.

Melissa's thoughts; I loved this book! I fell in love with the characters right away and could not put it down.

Shane is the perfect guy. He always puts everyone else ahead of himself. He is always trying to protect the ones he cares about, but fights to let anyone get to close to him. That is until Jenn comes along and changes everything. Could he finally have found someone he can trust to be there waiting for him when his tour is over and help him deal with the walls he has built around himself?

Jenn has had a tough time trusting anyone since her heart was broken by the ones she trusted the most. She is ready to give up, and has everything planned out to do just that. When the day arrives to carry out her plan, Shane steps into her life. Jenn is face with a decision; can she find it in her heart to trust again? Can she handle being left behind and not knowing where she stands?

This book and these characters had me going through so many emotions. You will have a few laughs along with shedding a few tears.

I am having a hard time writing this review because I am afraid to say too much. One or two more words and it could lead everyone to know exactly how it plays out. This was a highly enjoyable book! Now I am off to check out more by Teresa Mummert......

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Thanks again to Melissa for her review!! I will be reading this book as soon as life is back to its boring old routine :)

Monday, March 18, 2013

Here's the deal... I learned a long time ago that sometimes you have to use what you've got to make things happen. What I happen to have is a pretty smile, long legs and the ability to make men believe anything I say. Before you get on your high horse and start judging me, can you honestly say you've never batted your lashes at some guy for a free drink at the bar? That's what I thought.
Keep that in mind as I tell you my story of how I took it one step further. My story of lies, deceit, manipulation and love. Yeah, love. Believe me, it fits. Especially, when you factor in Nick and Tucker – one had my heart and the other one wanted it all for himself. Which one? Well, I can't tell you that. It would defeat the purpose of the story. If I'm going to fill you in about me, Lila Garrison, and my life as a con artist you're going to need to know all the facts, including the ones about the two guys who made me want to give up the life of fancy clothes, expensive jewelry, fast cars and easy money. Because sometimes, one person can give you something that's more valuable than all of that.
If you're still interested, stick around. Just remember, I'm pretty good at convincing people to do what I want, so if by the end of this whole thing you feel worked over, don't say I didn't warn you.

Excerpt:

By the time we made our way out of the club and back to the car, I was pretty sure I knew what Tucker wanted to do. Before he opened my door for me, he pushed me up against the car and let his lips continue to dominate mine. I was about three seconds away from letting him throw me in the back seat and have his way with me.
“Wait,” I panted between labored breaths, “we need to slow this down.” My mind was saying stop, but my hands continued to navigate down his muscular back to the bottom of his shirt. Just as I was about to slip my fingers under it and feel the warmth of his skin on my hands, I stopped, alerting him to the fact that I really wanted to put the brakes on what was happening in a parking lot full of drunk college kids.
“Really?” he asked before letting his lips nip the sensitive skin of my neck. “I was hoping we could speed this along and you'd let me take you back to my place.” He raised his head and greeted me with a sinfully delicious smile.
“As tempting as that sounds...” his hands slid from my waist to the curves of my hips as he returned his mouth to my neck. “And feels...” I felt myself start to succumb to him again and willed my hands to separate us. I knew I had a lot of ground work left to lay if I wanted to get access to his fortune, but all I could think about was being just another conquest to him. I knew he'd dated a lot of women, and whatever it was he was doing to me made me want to be more than the girl doing the walk of shame and never hearing from him again. “Please, we need to stop. I don't want to be...” I trailed off. “We just need to slow down.”
“You're right,” he said, pulling his lips from mine. “You just look so damn good tonight. It's hard to control myself.” It most definitely was hard. I could feel every inch of him as he pulled me closely to him and wrapped his arms around me. “You'll never be one of those girls, Lila. I like you too much already.” I felt my heart skip a beat. Could he read my mind? He placed a soft kiss on my cheek before opening the car door. “Let's get you home.”

Friday, March 15, 2013

Isaac Laroche is cursed. All he wants to do is hide out and feel sorry for himself. Never mind that he got caught sleeping with his seventeen-year-old piano student, or that he abandoned her when the truth was exposed.
Isaac’s feisty high school sweetheart has different plans. Heather Swann has returned to their hometown of Mobile, Alabama, to regroup after breaking up with her troll of a fiancé. She’s restless and looking for a diversion, but she bites off more than she can chew when she sets her sights on rehabilitating Isaac with her unorthodox sexual, mental, and physical plans.
The two quickly reconnect, but their happiness is threatened by family secrets, old vendettas and the death of a beloved father-figure.
Can Heather handle Isaac’s baggage, or will her own come back to haunt them both?

***

Author bio:
After collecting a couple English degrees in the Midwest, Stephanie Lawton suddenly awoke in the deepest reaches of the Deep South. Culture shock inspired her to write about Mobile, Alabama, her adopted city, and all the ways Southern culture, history and attitudes seduce the unsuspecting.
A lover of all things gothic, she can often be spotted photographing old cemeteries, historic buildings and, ironically, the beautiful beaches of the Gulf Coast. She also has a tendency to psychoanalyze people, which comes in handy when creating character profiles.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Because of You (Playing with Fire #2) by TE Sivec

BLURB:
Brady Marshall has made a career of playing it safe. When he decides to do something rash and becomes
a Navy SEAL, he thinks he's finally escaped the rigid structure of the high society life his parents forced
down his throat. All he does is trade in one set of rules for another. He follows military protocol to a T, but it
still results in the death of an entire team of Navy SEALS and puts his best friends directly in harm's way.
He’s struggled to stay afloat and not drown in grief, guilt, and booze, but he's losing that battle quickly.
When his baby sister flees her abusive husband and shows up on his doorstep with his young niece in tow,
he has no choice but to clean up his act. He will stop at nothing to protect them and never let them down
again, even if it means taking a job that goes against everything he believes in. If protecting a pop star
princess who thinks she's better than everyone means he can keep a roof over their head, what other choice
does he have?
Layla Carlysle has lived a life of luxury. She's been a star since the young age of fifteen, and every record
she releases shoots straight to the top of the charts. She has people surrounding her every single day
telling her how amazing she is, how beautiful she is, and how lucky she is, but she’s never felt more alone
in her entire life. She wants nothing more than to break free and do what she really wants to do: write her
own music, sing her own songs, and find a way to finally be happy with her life. The only thing standing in
her way is her mother, Eve Carlysle. Eve has controlled every single aspect of her daughter’s life and will
stop at nothing to achieve fame and fortune, even if that means using her daughter to get there. When an
overly amorous
fan’s letters become increasingly more sinister, Brady will have to suck up his opinion of
how the other half lives to take the job seriously. The pair will need to learn to trust each other and put aside
their differences before the letters become a reality and someone’s life is in jeopardy.
Brady has been to hell and back, and he refuses to let anyone else get close to him again. Layla has never
lived her life for herself, and the emptiness is threatening to break her for good.
Sometimes our lives are already planned for us, but because of you, all of that could change in an instant.

T.E. Sivec is the pen name of Tara Sivec. Under T.E. Sivec, she writes romantic suspense novels. T.E. Sivec lives
in Ohio with her husband and two children, living the dream of being a fulltime
writer.

Friday, March 8, 2013

5+ Stars

Can love survive when life gets Reckless?

When the band hits it big, Kiera and Kellan must ask themselves: Can their love for each other withstand the constant pressures of superstardom? The friendships they’ve formed, the new family they’ve found, and the history they’ve forged will all play a part in helping them navigate the turbulent waters of the band’s exploding popularity. A greedy executive hell-bent on success, a declining pop star looking for an edge, and a media circus that twists lies into truths are just some of the obstacles the lovers will have to overcome if they are going to remain together. Fame comes with a price—but will it cost Kiera and Kellan everything?

As I sit here with tears drying on my cheeks and still stinging my eyes, I can't help but feel torn in two. This book was everything a final book in a series should be. But it is the FINAL book. I am going to miss these characters so much.

When I began Reckless, I immediately knew that Kiera and Kellan's relationship was on a totally different level. I found myself falling for Kellan all over again, the love I thought I felt for his character is nothing compared to the deep true and completely overwhelming feeling I have for him now. (I know, I know 'fictional character'!! You don't have to remind me)

I found myself regretting every bad thought I have ever had toward Keira and I honestly felt like I should apologize. She has grown so much over the course of this series and I love the woman she has become. Very seldom do I come across a book or series that truly makes me 'feel'. When the hearts of these characters break mine breaks, when they are in love.... I am in love. When something tragic happens I can feel my heart literally shatter. At several points in my read I caught myself voicing these feeling aloud, a laugh here, a gasp there and several OMG OMG thrown in along the way. This series has been and will remain one of my most highly recommended. Thank You S.C. Stephans for bringing these characters into our world and allowing them to become a part of all of our lives.

P.S. I can not close out this review without saying the next few words. I can't even believe the next words even work together in a sentence, but.......... here goes!!

Thursday, March 7, 2013

4 Stars

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

My Thoughts; This was definitely my favorite so far of the series. Sydney is continuing on her assignment while also floating on the river of denial. No matter how much her alchemist up bringing tries to keep her from loving the Moroi and Dhampir she is working side by side with, she is falling...... HARD.

Adrian is he usual charming and yet pain is the ass self. I have a love/hate relationship with Richelle Mead while reading her Vampire Academy series. I loved her for giving me two totally swoon worthy males but I hated her for making me choose. But she has redeemed herself of that and because of this series, I can now have both ;)

I love who Adrian is with Sydney, he is still the no-holds-barred man we fell in love with in VA but he has grown from that as well. Being around Adrian has allowed Sydney to be herself, the her is is deep down inside, not the person the alchemists all expect her to be. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

I wanted to give a shout out to everyone and let you know what is going on in my world. The hubs and I are buying a house! We a super excited, and I will finally get that library I have always wanted.... it may have to double as my office but hey it is MY LIBRARY!!!! (can you see how happy that makes me)

So, the purpose of this post is to let you all know that I am not going to have much time for reading over the next few weeks. So the reviews are going to be slim, and by slim I mean probably NONE. I do have some blog tours and cover reveals coming up though so you guys be sure to show some love to them.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Release Day Party and Giveaway!!

Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her. Can he face her without falling again? Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them. When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook. In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both?Ancient history is only the beginningCheck out my review of here

The eBook sleeve giveaway is customizable. The winner will get to choose from a lot of designs and the name will be sewed in too if they wish. The designs are absolutely beautiful and this is only a sample.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Release Day Party and Giveaway!!

Is it love or is it witchcraft? He’ll never find out if he kills her first.

The first time Darren saw Samantha, she was floating above his high school gymnasium during a basketball game, invisible to everyone but him. Next time he sees her, she's sitting in front of him in class, wowing his friends and causing unexplainable things to happen that only he seems to notice. But things really get strange (and complicated) when his dying grandfather tells him that he is part of an ancient order, the “Pessum Ire,” whose duty is to destroy witches. What does he do now, since he’s almost positive Samantha is a witch…and he’s crushing on her pretty hard?

About the Author:

Mark Harris lives in Smithfield Utah, a small town located in a beautiful valley in Northern Utah. His wife, Shaundale, and he have four terrific children, two girls and two boys and a fifth one due to arrive in November of 2012. Mark has taught English and Special Education and currently works from home teaching English to people from all over the world. Writing has always been his true passion since he was a grade schooler writing about mushrooms. "Bewitched" will be his debut novel. He has two others underway and will soon start on the sequel to "Bewitched," called "The Return of the Familiar." He hopes you enjoy his work because he is working on several series geared toward younger audiences.

Blurb:Nova Williams has lost her one shot at Lieutenant hood and at love. Lieutenant Crophaven has promoted her rival, Andromeda, all because her lifemate, Sirius, sacrificed their mission to win back Andromeda’s love.While sneaking out to prove Andromeda is a fake, Nova finds an alien ship hovering over their colony. Lieutenant Crophaven assigns her to a reconnaissance mission, giving her a second chance to redeem herself. Sirius must fly her and a research team to the vessel to decide if they are a threat. Thrown together with the lifemate that betrayed her, she battles with her own jealousy while her team battles for their lives.Can she forgive Sirius in order to save her team and warn her colony?

About the author:

Aubrie Dionne writes science fiction fantasy with romantic elements. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Inkspell Publishing, Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. She’s also a professional flutist in New England.